Thackeray urges state’s ‘Durgas’ to ‘eliminate devils’

Mumbai Movies, music, witty catchphrases… it’s election season with a festive twist in Maharashtra. And, on Thursday, it was Uddhav Thackeray who flaunted his artistic side. Thackeray, leader of the Shiv Sena (UBT), opened a press conference he had convened to the accompaniment of Gondhal Geet, a traditional hymn to Goddess Durga, on the first day of the Navratri festival. “I have prayed to Goddess Durga to give the Mashal (a flaming torch, which is also the party’s symbol) to women in the state, to eliminate devils. They are imposters in the name of Eknath,” he told the media at Sena Bhavan.

The mood was definitely upbeat as Thackeray used the festive theme to appeal to women voters, countering his opponents’ attempts to win them over with the Ladki Bahin scheme, recently rolled out by the ruling Mahayuti alliance. Last week, in a cinematic turn, Marathi movie Dharamveer 2 released with the blessings of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, themed on his political rise after he broke away from the parent Shiv Sena.

Unveiling the Gondhal Geet titled ‘Satvar Bhuvari Ye, Mashal Haati De’ (‘Come to earth, hand us the torch’), Thackeray unleashed a torrent of rhetoric on Thursday. “There is anarchy in the state. The unconstitutional state government is busy in corruption, and crimes against women are increasing. There is no one to protect the common man. Goddess Durga will end all this now!” he said.

Without naming Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his alliance partners, Thackeray said, “Before the regime of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, there was anarchy in Maharashtra. So Saint Eknath prayed to Goddess Durga to open the doors and eliminate the devils. Now there is an imposter in the name of Eknath. To end this anarchy being spread by imposters, we are praying to Goddess Durga on the first day of Navratri.”

The Mahayuti government’s women-centric campaign has kicked up much heat and dust, specifically its populist Ladki Bahin scheme, which gives economically vulnerable women across the state ₹1,500 a month. Now, Thackeray is appealing to women voters by calling them a symbol of Durga, who is known as the ‘dragon slayer’.

Thackeray said that for the last two and half years, his party had been fighting for justice in the court of law. Now, he is “seeking justice in the people’s court”. On recent statements made by ruling party leaders, Thackeray said he would speak up at the party’s upcoming Dushera rally. “Let people say whatever they want, I will speak at the Dushera rally. ‘Sau Sonar Ki Ek Lohar Ki’ (‘A hundred blows from a goldsmith can’t compare with a single blow from a blacksmith’),” he said.

Apart from Thackeray, today’s media meet was attended by party MPs Sanjay Raut, Anil Desai and Arvind Sawant, and MLA Ajay Chaudhary. The song, ‘Satvar Bhuvari Ye, Mashal Haati De’ has been written by Shrirang Godbole and rendered by Nandesh Umap.